


Cryin’ (Aerosmith, 1993)

by MarmeLady_Orange



Series: MAGNET HEARTS [5]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Because it's not over yet, But there are still cute moments I thinks, Childhood Friends, F/M, First Kiss, First Relationship, Fluff and Light Angst, Friendship, Gabriel gives Cas the sex talk, M/M, Middle School, Not a happy ending just yet, Slow Build, This chapter is sad, Underage Kissing, set in 1993, underage sexual situations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-22
Updated: 2014-08-22
Packaged: 2018-02-14 06:44:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2181906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarmeLady_Orange/pseuds/MarmeLady_Orange
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Castiel is very much crushing on Dean. Their friends all pretty much know about it. Safe for Dean maybe. After Robin breaks up with Dean, Benny suggests that he should try dating Cas instead of hopping from girl to girl, try something different. To Castiel’s surprise, Dean accepts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cryin’ (Aerosmith, 1993)

**Author's Note:**

> You don't have to read the previous chapters, but it might help with some stuff (past events) the characters might refer to throughout the fic.
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks for reading, I hope you like it! :-)
> 
>  
> 
> .

“So, what’s up with you and Dean? Thought you guys had made up?”

Sitting indian style on the floor, a controller in her hands, Charlie was trying to get Castiel to talk to her. She had spent even more time at Camp Chitaqua that summer, working as a junior camp counselor. The first thing she did when she came back was to invite her friend for an evening of video games and catching up. He accepted on the sole condition that they’d be just the two of them, without none of the Winchesters around.

“Yeah, we’re good… I think. I just wanted you all to myself,” Castiel answered from the couch, keeping his eyes on the TV.

“Awww, that’s super cute, but I’m not buying it. Did you see him at all while I was away?”

“Nah, not so much. I’ve heard he’s been pretty busy. Dating the whole town and all.”

At her friend’s bitter tone, Charlie paused the game and turned around to look at him.

“Didn’t he call you at all?”

“You know he can’t…”

“You really think your dad still cares about you guys hanging out? You never see him. And Gabriel doesn’t care, I’m sure.”

“I’ve stopped asking. Anyway, like I said, Dean was busy so—”

“Who’s he been dating? Tell me he’s not back with Cassie.”

“Not from what I’ve heard. But I think he’s had like five different girlfriends in the six weeks you were gone.”

“Wow! Way to go Winchester,” she exclaimed after an impressed whistle. “Oh, sorry Cas, I forgot…” she then added, noticing him flinch. “So you still like him, huh?”

“I guess.”

“Does he know?”

“I doubt it. It’s not like I advertise it anyway… so, are we playing or what?” Castiel asked, waving his controller at her.

“Maybe you should say something,” Charlie told him after starting the game again. “Who knows, he might like you too.”

“I don’t think I’m his type, Charlie.” Cas tried to laugh, doing his best to maneuver his character on the screen.

“You don’t know that. You know Gordon had brought Cassie next to you guys only to mess with Dean, right?”

“Yeah, I know. Still, Dean had just been nice because I had never danced with anyone before.”

“Still… I think he could like you. I might just ask him, you know?”

Castiel gasped at his friend’s words and turned to her, forgetting all about the game they’ve been playing. “Don’t you dare,” he said, a bit of panic in his voice.

“You’re dead,” Charlie announced with a wide grin, manipulating her controller expertly.

“Charlie,” Castiel growled, far beyond caring about the game at this point. “Swear you won’t say a word!”

“But Cas—”

“Swear,” he said again.

“Jeez, alright, I swear. I was just teasing… sorry.”

Castiel gave her a short nod but the set in his jaw didn’t ease one bit. He knew his friend meant well but he had spent the summer doing everything he could to forget about the spectacle he had made of himself at the dance.

Now Charlie just needed to shut up about it all until school started again in two weeks. He should be okay to face Dean again by then.

•

The first time they all walked together to school was a bit uncomfortable. Well, Castiel felt that way but Dean didn’t seem any different than the last time he’d seen him. He even grabbed him by the shoulders and gave him a light side squeeze, saying how he had missed seeing Cas all summer.

Sam, brilliant student that he was, had skipped fifth grade and was now walking to his new school with them. Castiel, who hadn’t seen the younger boy either for most of the summer, was glad to have a chance to talk to him a bit. Also, it gave Cas the perfect excuse to avoid paying too much attention to Dean.

It wasn’t until the first period after lunch that he had to be confronted to his friend once more. They ended up in the same Science class and, of course, Dean decided they’d have to sit at the same table, telling the kid who had initially sat with Cas to “piss off” before taking the seat.

Cas was tempted to call the guy back and tell Dean to go find another place to sit, but of course he didn’t. And if he had to be honest, he felt a little flattered. Not that he’d say anything about it, of course. So instead, he turned to his friend and just scowled at him.

“What?” Dean asked, arching his brow in show of innocence.

“You didn’t have to bully the guy, Dean. You could have just asked him to move,” Castiel answered, making sure he sounded outraged enough.

“Come on, I didn’t bully him… I just… suggested strongly.”

“Still, he looked a little spooked.”

Dean huffed and turned around. The guy he had sent away had taken the last available place, next to Gordon Walker, who was already in deep conversation with his new lab partner. From their hushed tones and frequent glances towards Dean, it seemed they were already finding common interests.

“Guess who made a new friend,” Dean commented with a low chuckle, which prompted Castiel to turn around as well. When he saw Gordon and the kid, he had to let out a short laugh.

“You really have a knack at making friends, don’t you?” he said, mocking the blond boy.

“Heh! Got enough friends already. Why would I need more than you and Charlie?”

“And Benny, and Andrea, and Kevin…” provided Castiel, trying not to give too much importance to Dean’s words.

“See? Got too many friends already.”

Just like that, it seemed like Dean and Cas were getting back to what they were before. And as long as Cas would keep his infatuation about Dean a secret, they would be able to remain that way.

•

Soon enough, it became impossible for the gang to hang out at Charlie’s. Her mom was often too tired or sick to even try and tolerate four teenagers playing video games and watching movies in her small house.

Bobby Singer, Dean and Sam’s guardian, would probably not have minded to have the kids in his home. But his only TV set was small, and old, and its colours were so faded it sometimes seemed like a black and white screen.

“You should ask your dad, Cas,” Charlie insisted one Saturday afternoon, the four friends sitting in an old gutted convertible that had been rusting in Bobby’s junkyard.

“I told you Charlie, he doesn’t want to hear anything about anything. I never even get to talk to him anymore.”

“What about Gabriel?” asked Charlie.

“Gabriel couldn’t care less.”

“Maybe you should ask him then,” Sam suggested.

“Look guys, Bobby is okay if we hang out here, let’s just do that, alright?” Dean said in a dismissive manner.

“Maybe Bobby could talk to Castiel’s dad? It’s with your dad he had a beef, right?” Charlie said then brought her hand to her mouth. “Jeez, sorry guys, I forgot.”

If Sam seemed not to have taken offense to Charlie’s words, Dean certainly didn’t look like he could brush it off as easily.

“Wow, Charlie, that’s a low blow,” he started, sending a hard glare to his friend. “And anyway, I’m pretty sure Mr Shurley doesn’t care that my dad’s dead. It’s me he doesn’t want Cas to hang out with.”

“I’m sor—” Charlie started again.

“No, I get it. You guys can go hang out at Cas’s place all you want, I don’t care. Anyway I promised Robin I’d be hanging out with her later so… yeah, I’m gonna go do that,” Dean spat before jumping off the car and walking back to the house.

“Who’s Robin?” Charlie asked Sam, wondering how she’d never heard about her before.

“Dean’s new girlfriend,” the younger boy provided with a shrug. “She doesn’t go to our school. Her parents own the new restaurant on Spring Avenue.”

“Of course, Dean’s dating a girl with a restaurant,” Charlie laughed. “I hope Mrs Harvelle never finds out though.”

“Knowing Dean, it certainly won’t last long anyway,” commented Castiel, not even trying to suppress the sourness in his tone.

“He really likes her,” replied Sam, oblivious to Castiel’s feelings for his brother.

“So, Cas… you wanna try and see if we can hang out at your place?” Charlie said in an attempt to take the focus off of Dean’s love life.

“Yeah, hum… let me talk to Gabe first, alright? You can come with, but he might still say no.”

“We’ll come back here then,” decided Sam, getting out of the convertible, immediately followed by Cas and Charlie.

When they got to the Shurleys’ house, Castiel asked them to wait on the front porch and went in, hoping to find Gabriel. He eventually found him next to the pool, sprawled in a lounge chair with an electric blue drink in his hand.

“Gabriel, can I talk to you?” Castiel asked without ceremony, coming to stand in front of his cousin.

“You’re blocking the sun, kiddo. Move a bit, then we can talk,” the man replied without opening his eyes.

“Can my friends come and hang out here?” Castiel asked after moving away.

“Which friends?”

“Charlie… and Sam.”

“What, no Dean?”

“Well, he’s going to see his girlfriend or something. But yeah, eventually Dean would come too I guess. We don’t really have a place to hang out anymore.”

“Did you ask your dad?”

“No! He’s always hiding in his study, not sure he knows I’m still alive. Or that Anna has left for college.”

“He knows, he’s just real busy.”

“And drunk…” Castiel felt the need to emphasize.

“Yeah, that too. But you know what? As long as you guys aren’t crazy loud, I guess you can bring your friends.”

“We’ll hang out in the basement, and we’ll be super quiet.”

“Woah there, the basement is my kingdom, little dude.”

“We won’t go in your room, I swear. We’ll just use the TV room. Pleaaaase,” pleaded Castiel, falling dramatically to his knees and clasping his hands together in a mock prayer.

“Alright. But I better not find out you guys went digging through my stuff,” the young man menaced, shoving a finger in his little cousin’s face.

“I swear! Thanks Gabe,” Castiel exclaimed before running back in the home to let his friends inside.

•

It took about two months for Dean to finally come to Castiel’s house for the first time. More often than not, his excuse was that he was hanging out with Robin and, clearly, he had no desire to have his friends meet her.

Charlie did try to meet Dean’s girlfriend _by accident_ , dragging Castiel to her family’s restaurant. But of course, the girl hadn’t been there. Nor was she there the other two times Charlie tried to go sneak a peek on her own.

“Robin broke up with me,” Dean told his friends while they were watching movies in Castiel’s basement.

“How come?” Charlie asked around a mouthful of caramel popcorn.

“Not sure… All I know is that her dad didn’t like me very much.”

“I’m sorry Dean,” Castiel said, still saddened by the news even though it made his heart sing a little.

“Bah… it’s her loss, right? But, man… fathers really hate me, don’t they?”

Dean somewhat laughed but nobody reciprocated, especially since they were hanging out in Castiel’s home. Mr Shurley probably didn’t know they were in his house, but they knew he certainly was one of those fathers who didn’t appreciate Dean in the slightest. So Charlie just threw an arm around Dean’s shoulder and kissed him on the cheek.

“Her loss indeed,” Charlie said after a while, which finally helped land a smile on Dean’s lips. “See, if I liked boys at all, you could be my boyfriend, seeing as I don’t have a father to hate you,” she added, able to talk about her father’s passing in a somewhat humorous tone. It had been a long while after all.

“Nah… you’re sweet Charlie but we’re friends. Even if you liked guys, I wouldn’t want to mess that up, you know?” Dean responded with a smile. “Girls tend to not like me we’re through and I can’t lose you.”

Even though he wasn’t an active participant in the conversation, Castiel was still listening intently and accumulating all the information he could about his friend. At the comment about how he wouldn’t want to mess his friendship with Charlie, Cas couldn’t help but take the hint for himself too. Not that there was any indication Dean would ever be interested in dating him, but even if he did it was clear now to him that he wouldn’t.

But not everybody knew that. And some of their friends were a little too perceptive for their own good. Actually, it seemed all of them were because, during the last week before Christmas vacation, Andrea and Benny decided it was time to try and tame the Winchester. They themselves had been together since mid-summer and, sadly, they were so blissfully happy that they thought they should force everyone else to be as happy as they were.

Which, ultimately, could have been nice and all. Except that they caught on Castiel’s crush and decided it needed to happen, with no regards to his pleas to leave it alone and shut their friggin’ mouths. And if at first Kevin was all for his two friends getting together, he quickly backtracked when he noticed how uncomfortable it was making Castiel. Plus, Cas might have helped a bit by blowing-up one day, apparently scaring Kevin more than it should have been permitted.

But Benny was certainly not impressed. It actually made him even more determined. So when Dean came to sit at the lunch table on that last Thursday before Christmas break, Andrea and Benny were all over him.

“So tell me, brother. Got anyone new in sight? It’s been a while since you’ve had a girlfriend, no?”

“Yeah… what’s it to you?” the blond boy answered, munching on his fries.

“Just curious. Well, actually, I was thinking you might want—”

“Benny,” Castiel warned their friend who only answered with a nod and a wink before turning back to Dean.

“As I was saying, maybe you should try something else. You know, lay off the girls for a bit.”

“I’m getting some milk… Charlie?” Castiel pressed, grabbing the redhead’s arm and pulling her off her seat.

Standing in the cafeteria line with his friend, Castiel was as nervous as he was mad. He couldn’t believe Benny and Andrea would think this—whatever they thought they were doing—would be a good idea. All he could do was try to keep an eye on their table, where not much was going on safe for what looked like a regular conversation.

But then, he could see how at times Dean’s gaze would sometime fall on him but quickly look away when he would meet Castiel’s eyes. He barely felt Charlie pushing him forward in the line, nor did he realise she had put a carton of milk in his hands. It didn’t register either that she had paid for his milk and was pushing him back towards their table.

Still, he had the mind to stop a couple of tables before theirs, turning to face Charlie with his eyes wide in panic.

“Charlie, you gotta do something. I can’t go back there. Do you know how humiliating that is?”

“From here it all seems okay. I admit it’s a shitty move on Benny’s part but I swear, Dean doesn’t seem mad or anything. Look,” she emphasized, forcing him to turn around again.

Benny was still talking to Dean, not loud enough to be heard, but this time Dean was looking at Cas and not averting his eyes. He would nod at times, but kept staring at Castiel. Then, when Benny stopped talking and seemed to be waiting for an answer, a tiny smile appeared on Dean’s face and he nodded again.

“Yeah… yeah, okay,” Dean said, getting up to walk towards Cas and Charlie who hadn’t moved from where they had stopped.

“Hey,” he said in a soft voice when he got close to Castiel, then sent a pointed look to Charlie who let out a soft squeal and almost ran away to go sit with their friends. “So…” he only said, locking his eyes onto Castiel’s again.

All the brown haired boy could do at this point was swallow loudly and let the green eyes bore into his, unable to look away. Except when Dean licked his lips. Castiel’s blue eyes followed the tip of the wet tongue and he mirrored the movement without a single thought. When Dean’s lips touched his, Castiel almost recoiled, embarrassed. But his own body had other ideas and instead he pressed his lips harder on Dean’s, making their friends start to applaud and whistle, soon joined by a good portion of the kids in the cafeteria.

Dean let Castiel’s lips go, granting him an annoyed huff, and instead grabbed him in a hug, which Castiel reciprocated. Then Dean took his hand and pulled him towards their table to sit back down. They didn’t really talk to one another, but Dean kept holding his hand. He was the same Dean as ever, except that now he was touching Castiel and that made the boy’s throat close up he was so overwhelmed.

Still, he tried to pay attention to their friends and the conversation at hand, which had something to do with a groundhog, and Bill Murray, and dying, and Castiel couldn’t focus on anything but the warmth in his hand. He did catch Sam’s eyes which were a little too bright and shiny, and he also caught Benny’s annoyingly proud expression. Everyone, even Kevin, were just too happy and it made Castiel even more uncomfortable.

But when they walked back home holding hands that day, while Charlie and Sam made sure to stay slightly further ahead, Castiel couldn’t feel anything but comfort and elation.

“I’m your first boyfriend, right?” Dean asked softly while they walked, to which Castiel only responded with a bashful nod. “That’s alright, I don’t mind. Hey, you’re my first boyfriend too,” he added with a squeeze of his hand.

“You didn’t have to, you know? Benny was being—”

“Shut it, Cas. Benny did alright,” Dean reassured his new boyfriend with another squeeze of his hand and a smile.

The kiss Dean gave him when they got to his home was different this time around and Cas was glad that Sam and Charlie had left the two boys alone to say their goodbyes. If in the cafeteria Dean had been sweet and almost tentative, the kiss he now gave Cas was anything but restrained. Because of course, Dean had experience and he knew what he was doing. And he knew how to get it, prodding at Castiel’s mouth with his tongue.

It didn’t take long for Castiel’s arousal to make itself known, especially when he felt Dean’s own brush against his. And suddenly it was too much for Cas. He pushed himself off of Dean, mumbled a mix of apologies and goodbyes and ran home, mortified to have gotten yet another boner in front of Dean. It didn’t matter that his friend had gotten one too, it was all about him and how sex was not something he had learned how to be comfortable with.

When he got home, Castiel ran upstairs without a word for his cousin and, after taking care of his _little predicament_ in the bathroom, he went to his room to sulk under his covers. It took about an hour for Gabriel to come up and ask him if everything was alright. Cas said he was just tired and Gabe didn’t insist.

When he came back another two hours later, bringing him a grilled chicken sandwich and a glass of Dr. Pepper, Castiel let him in but didn’t touch the food. He just grabbed the soda and drank it, avoiding his cousin’s searching gaze.

“So what’s up with you, kiddo? Who pissed in your cheerios?”

The idiom, which usually made Castiel laugh, had no effect on his mood at all. Which was a clear indicator that something had to be wrong.

“Wow, alright, it’s serious then,” the blond man noted, sitting on his little cousin’s bed. “What happened? You can tell me, I swear I’ll behave.”

“Nothing… I got… I got a boyfriend,” sputtered Castiel, keeping his eyes on his blue checkered comforter.

“What? But, that’s good news, isn’t it? Why are you so glum then? Who is… Oh, I bet I know… it’s Dean, isn’t it? Dean’s your new boyfriend?”

“Jeez, Gabe… yeah, okay, it’s Dean but… I don’t think he’ll like me anymore.”

“What happened?”

“You’re gonna laugh.”

“I swear I won’t, cross my heart.”

Castiel lift his head to look at his cousin and he was relieved to see the young man looking at him in all seriousness. Gabriel, who always had some kind of twinkle in his eyes, was now looking at him with kindness and understanding, even though he clearly didn’t know what Cas was fretting about.

“We—we were kissing and then—my—you know—I got—” Castiel sputtered, his face now a deep shade of red.

“You got excited?”

“Yeah,” Cas confirmed, close to tears.

“You’re fourteen, little dude, that’s totally normal. Hell, if you didn’t get excited I’d be worried.”

“Really?”

“Didn’t your dad ever give you the sex talk? Or in school? Don’t they talk about that stuff anymore?”

“Well… yeah… but… I know my dad would say I’m too young and he would probably ground me.”

“I don’t think you can ground a kid for having a boner. Well, maybe some do, but I don’t think Uncle Chuck would,” Gabriel tried to reassure Castiel.

“But now Dean must think I’m gross…”

“Wow, okay. You clearly didn’t get any good sex ed. I guess that falls on me then,” Gabriel exclaimed before turning to sit indian style, facing his cousin. “Okay, so now, tell me exactly what happened.”

“Well… nothing much really. We walked back from school holding hands, and we talked and then Dean kissed me. But it was more like a French kiss, you know? With tongue…”

“I know what French kissing is… go on.”

“Yeah, so that’s it. It was very nice and, well… I got excited and I ran away.”

“Did he get excited too?”

“I… yeah, I think so… I felt his… you know… hard and stuff,” Castiel answered, mortified.

“Then why would he think you’re gross? He was excited too…”

“Dunno…” Castiel mumbled with a shrug, still averting his cousin’s eyes.

“Okay, I’ll tell you a secret, alright? When you like someone, you want them happy, right?” Gabriel waited for his cousin to nod before he went on. “Yeah, so us guys, that’s how we show it.”

“I’m not dumb, Gabe.”

“I know, but let me ask you this. When you give a gift to someone and they love it, how does that make you feel?”

“Happy.”

“Exactly. Same thing with this, kiddo. That’s your way of telling your partner that you like them, that you like what they’re doing to you. Dean wouldn’t be grossed out by your boner, I’m pretty sure he was very glad he made you happy actually. Did you think his boner was gross?”

“Nah… I didn’t think much about it. I kind of panicked.”

“Yeah, I think you should call him. Otherwise he might think you don’t like him.”

“Thanks Gabe,” Castiel told the older man, hugging him tight.

“Just one thing though,” he added when Castiel sat back down on his bed. “You’re still only fourteen. You may be able to have boners but it doesn’t mean you can go and start poking your stick everywhere, you got me?”

“Jeez, Gabe… don’t be gross.”

“I’m just saying. I was your age not so long ago, I remember how it is. But I know that whatever I say is just dumb adult gibberish to you kids. I probably sound like Charlie Brown’s teacher. Still, if you use it, wrap it, alright?” Gabriel warned him, taking out a foil packet from his wallet and throwing at his cousin’s face.

“Are we done?” Castiel growled, pushing the condom away from him.

“I don’t know, are we? Do you feel a little bit better?”

“Yeah, I think so. I’ll call Dean now.”

“I’m glad I was able to help then. And eat your sandwich.”

“’kay Gabe, thanks.”

“Anytime. Say hi to the Winchesters for me.”

•

Even after clearing the air after the (second) boner incident, Castiel and Dean’s couple didn’t make it two a whole two weeks. They actually didn’t make it to Christmas, even though Dean wasn’t made aware of it until the 27th.

For Castiel, the relationship ended three days before Christmas. After it all, he wondered if he had accepted to go back home instead of insisting on shopping some more, they would have stayed together. But ultimately, even though it hurt, he knew he had made the right decision in ending it with Dean. Even if it took him five days to properly do it.

In his own defense, it was the Holidays and it was one of the only occasions Chuck Shurley would come out of hiding. Especially that year since they had all been invited by Gabriel’s parents to come and spend Christmas Eve with them. Quite frankly, nobody had been excited at the thought of going but Chuck knew his sister, Gabriel’s mother, and she would never have let them live it down if they didn’t show.

But back to the 22nd… Castiel and Dean had been together for twelve days and had gone to the mall for last minute Christmas shopping. It was also a perfect setting for some kind of date. They were on their own, Sammy having stayed at home and Charlie taking care of her mother. And those were rare moments for them.

So they had lunch, amongst what felt like a billion other shoppers, but all they saw was each other. Anyway, that’s how it felt for Castiel as all he was paying attention to was Dean. They walked around, hand in hand, browsing through nothing and everything, trying to find not so expensive knick-knacks to give to the people in their lives.

Still, it didn’t take long for Dean to grow tired of the shopping scene and he asked Cas if they could go already. Since he still had to find something for Gabriel, Castiel negotiated for them to go into a couple of more stores. Dean grumbled but he accepted, prompting Castiel to reward him with a small kiss.

Everything crumbled the second they turned the corner to get in a last hall of stores. Castiel felt Dean’s stride falter and the hand that was holding his stiffened before being taken away from him. Dean also made sure to steer a bit from Cas, putting enough space between them so it would not be implied they were _together_ together.

Before Castiel could ask what was going on and reclaim his boyfriend’s hand, Dean’s demeanor changed again and he gave a wide smile to a group of guys a little older than themselves. Apparently, they were friends of Dean’s and they all started greeting each other loudly, going about with strange and unnecessarily complicated handshakes.

It took a couple of minutes for Dean’s friends to even notice Castiel’s presence.

“Who’s your friend?” asked the tallest one, pointing his chin at him.

“Yeah, huh… that’s my… that’s Cas, my cousin,” answered Dean in a low voice, but not low enough.

For the second time in his life, Castiel felt his heart break in his chest. And once more, it was Dean’s fault. If the first time it was a misunderstanding on his part, this time there was no way he could have misread Dean’s intentions. This was a clear dismissal of their relationship. Worse, he wasn’t even acknowledging him as his friend.

The little gang didn’t stay and chat for long, only clasped Dean on the shoulder and told him they would call him sometime, that they should hang out again and all the crap guys tell each other. Castiel was so shocked that he wasn’t able to think straight before Dean’s friends had already started walking away. And then the anger started bubbling up inside of him.

“So yeah, sorry for the cousin thing Cas but, that guy was Robin’s brother, so you know—”

“No, I don’t know,” Castiel spat, taking back the hand Dean had tried to grab again.

“Come on, it was just weird, you know. Seeing your ex’s family and—”

“I wanna go now.”

“What about Gabriel’s gift?”

“I’ll think of something. Now I just wanna go,” Castiel insisted, doubling back to walk towards the exit.

Dean tried to make Castiel understand on their way back home, sitting in the back of the bus. And even though they had pretty much been sitting on top of each other because there were so many people, Castiel never uttered a sound. That day, he left his boyfriend on his front porch without their usual parting kiss and went straight to his room without a word to Gabriel or his sister that were playing Scrabbles in the living room.

Gabe tried again to come and talk to him when he saw that Cas wasn’t coming down for dinner, but this time the teenager told him he didn’t want to see anybody. He only emerged from under his blankets when Anna came to tell him that Charlie was downstairs and insisting to see him. He knew she must have talked to Dean because she would almost never come over unannounced. His suspicions were answered when he let her into his room.

“What a friggin’ dick,” she exclaimed as soon as he closed the door, grabbing him in a tight hug.

“So you know…” Castiel only replied, getting out of his friend’s hold to go back and hide under the covers.

“I can’t believe this. All I wanna do is kick him in the nuts.”

“Don’t… it hurts like hell,” Castiel mumbled, almost tempted to smile at the thought.

“He deserves as much. How are you feeling?”

“Like crap,” was all Castiel was able to answer before starting to cry again.

“Damn it,” Charlie said, lying on the bed to cuddle her friend over the blanket.

They stayed huddled together for a little while, him crying and her holding him through it. When finally Castiel was able to calm down a bit, he turned to face his friend.

“Can I ask you a favour?” he asked.

“Anything,” Charlie answered, wiping her friend’s tears from his face.

“I want you to call him and ask him why he went out with me.”

“Cas—”

“Please Charlie. I can’t ask him myself, he’ll lie to me.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Yeah, I do… Please… I’ll never ask you anything again.”

“That’s a very bad plan. What do you think he’ll say?”

“I dunno… but he can’t like me if he did that, right? He’s ashamed of being with me.”

“Okay, he may have been a dick just now but I don’t think—”

“Please…” Castiel pleaded again, his eyes shining with tears.

“Alright,” she muttered, grabbing the phone on Castiel’s bedside table. “Wait, he’ll know I’m calling from your home, he won’t talk.”

“I don’t think Bobby’s got caller i.d., Charlie. He probably still uses a rotary phone.”

“Yeah, probably. So, that’s all you wanna know? Why he went out with you?”

“Why did he say yes to Benny if he’s so ashamed of being seen with me,” Castiel spat, getting off the bed. “I’ll go grab the phone downstairs and plug it in the hall. I wanna listen in so wait before you call, alright?”

Charlie nodded, knowing she wouldn’t be able to change her friend’s mind. Castiel quickly came back, clutching at his own phone and gave her a nod that she could now dial. When she did that, she heard the second phone click open and she could hear a muffling sound until there was nothing else to be heard but the ringing on the other end.

When Dean answered, he was surprised to hear Charlie since they had talked not so long before, when he told her what had happened. And she had hung up on him.

“So I take that you’re not angry with me anymore?” was the first thing he asked her.

“No… I’m still pissed but I’m back from Castiel’s and I wanna understand,” she said, impressed that she could be lying to him so easily.

“There’s nothing to understand, Charlie. I panicked and I screwed up, that’s all.”

“Yeah, but why? Are you ashamed of Cas or something?”

“What? Of course not, it has nothing to do with Cas… not really anyway. Look, I liked Robin a lot, alright? And then she dumped me and… it felt weird to be with someone else when I saw her brother.”

“Who cares? It’s not like you were cheating on her. You’re not even together anymore.”

“I know…”

“Do you still like her? Robin?” Charlie asked after a beat.

Both Castiel and Charlie heard Dean exhale and the answer didn’t come immediately. Charlie waited patiently, keeping her eyes on Castiel’s to make sure he wouldn’t go and screw up their sting operation.

“I—I don’t know, alright? Maybe… if it wasn’t for her dad I probably would still be with her, you know?”

“So… why didn’t you tell Benny? Why did you say yes when he said that you should be dating Cas? Do you even like him?”

“Jeez, Charlie… he’s my friend, of course I like him.”

“He’s your _boyfriend_ , Dean.”

“No, I know, but you know what I mean. It’s just… he was right there.”

“What do you mean, he was right there?” Charlie asked, keeping an eye on Castiel.

“When Benny told me I should get with Cas, he was there. I didn’t wanna hurt him by saying no, you know?”

Without a word, Castiel got up to go and unplugged his phone, not even bothering with being careful so Dean wouldn’t know there had been someone else on the line. He left the phone on the floor and came back to his room to bury himself again under his blankets, not caring that Charlie was still there and ending the conversation with Dean.

“Thanks Charlie,” Castiel said when she hung up. “I’ll go to sleep now, if you don’t mind.”

“No, I get it. It’ll all look better tomorrow,” she assured him before leaving the room.

 _“No it won’t,”_ he thought, crying himself to sleep.

And when Castiel broke up with Dean five days later, the blond boy didn’t try to explain himself. He didn’t even try to change his friend’s mind. Not after what Castiel said to him.

From this day forward, Dean Winchester and Castiel Shurley ceased to be friends.

Well…

Until they were again, that is.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Not mine… nope… not really… well a little bit, but the characters certainly aren't. But good jolly do they like and come to play with me!
> 
> Not Beta'd… all the mistakes are mine… but who doesn't make mistakes, I ask you. 
> 
> Life is not about regrets people!!


End file.
